Grain-binder



(No Model.) zsheets-sheet 1. M. KANE.

GRAIN BINDER. No. 499,838. Patented June 20, 1893.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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No. 499,838. Patented June 20, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.v

MAURICE KANE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE WARDER, BUSH- NELL dt GLESSNER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE, AN'D SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

GRAIN-BINDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,838, dated June 20, 1893. Application filed December 31| 1892. Serial No. 456,941. (No model.)

The purpose of this invention is to provide improved and simple means for making the compressing power of the needle and compressor increase somewhat as the density of the bundle upon which they are operating increases under their compressing action, and bringing such power to the maximum at the point of culmination of the compressing action, and also to give these devices their greatest speed of movement when they are in retreat after the bundle has been completed and is wholly or 'partly ejected, While the continuance of the rotation is necessary simply to bring all the parts back to the initial position, the result of such construction being that without increasing the total length of Vtime,or length of travel of the machine over the ground,-occupied in each complete binding operation, a greater portionl of time may be given to the binding processes requiring power and putting strain upon the mechanism, the time being made up by the greater speed of the movements which require slight power. The same expedient alsol gives the knotter-bill slower movement and the discharger more powerful movement, which is desirable.

In the drawings-Figure l is a side elevation of so much of the mechanism of the grain binder as pertains to my invention, the deck, breast-plate, and binder frame being represented conventionally, the position` of the parts being that of maximum compression of the bundle. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the position of the parts being that of rest, with the needle below the deck. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional rear elevation, showing the position of `the knetter-bill and its actuating wheel when C is the upright standard of the customary U-frame.

D is the needle.

E is the compressor.

F is the needle rock-shaft; F the needle crank arm; E2 the pitman 0r link connecting it to the binder main wheel G.

H is the main drivingsprocket pinion which communicates power to the binder by means of a chain whose position is indicated by the broken line J. I

M is a tightener pulley which is mounted as hereinafter described.

. E` is the lever arm of the compressor rockshaft; E2 the customary extensible link comprising the compressor spring E20 which connects the' crank arm E to the lever E3 fulcrumed on the binder frame at c3, and carrying at the end opposite its connection. with the link the cam roll E30 which travels on the cam G on the .wheel G, which cam communicates the compressing movement to the compressor in substantially the customary manner. The distinguishing feature of this construct-ion is that the binder main wheel G is journaled ecceutrically on the binder frame, its shaft g being located at some little distance aside from the center of the wheel, as

seen in the drawings.

The center of construction of thewheel is indicated at gO and in the position of the parts which is represented in Fig. l this center g0 is in the radius from the point of departure or tangency of the drive chain J to the center of rotation or center of the shaft g. The position shown in this ligure being that of maximum compression or culmination of the compressing action, it will be seen that the power com municated from the main driving sprocket pinion I-I by means of the chain J to the binder main wheel Gis greatest at this point IOO in the opposite position. This is very nearly the position `shown in Fig. 2; that is, very nearly the position at which the needle is at the lowest point. The needle will therefore retreat more rapidly toward the latter part of its retreating movement on account of this construction, and the action of the compressor movement which it tends to give the bundle.

But it is desirable that the powerful movement of the wheel G should not be lost until the discharger has reached nearly to the most effective position for acting upon the bundle, or at least until it has passed the point of its minimum `eectiveness. This point of minimum effectiveness is the point at which the discharger first comes into contact with the,

bundle and which occurs within an eighth of a revolution of the wheel G after the necdle has completed its advance and commenced its retreat. When the maximum power 'of the Wheel is attained at the cli.

max ofthe needles movement that power .will have been but little diminished by the time an eighth of a revolution, which brings the discharger against the bundle, has been made, and the discharger will thereby be able to operate powerfully to, start the bundle outward from the position at which it has been formed, and where it is frequenth7 quite vtightly held between the deck and the breastplate. Evidently the most power isrequired just at this point to start the bundle, because not only is it-s inertia to-be overcome but the ltightness with which it is held diminishes as it moves outward, and by the time the wheel G has made a quarter revolution from the p0- stion shown in Fig. 1, during half of which quarter the discharger has been moving the bundle, the resistance to the dischargers ac'- tion will be practically passed and the more rapid angular movement of thewheel G and of the discharger, which will by that time become noticeable, will be made against much decreased resistance, and within three eighthsi of a revolution after the needle starts back,

ing rapidity to the end or position of rest shown in Fig. 2.

the chain J as the rotation of the wheel G proceeds 'and requires less or more chain `to encompass it and the driving pinion I-I; and

for thispurpose I mount the tightener M upon the end of a lever arm Mwhich is fulcrumed at m on an arm Oof the frame, and on the same arm a little farther grainward I mount the bracket M2, through which the link or check-rod M3 extends, said check-rod be-A ing pivotally connected to the lever arm M a little distance from the pivot of said arm toward the tightener pulley, and about the portion of the check-rod which protrudes through the bracket M2 I coil the spring M4 and cause it to be retained on the rod by the check-nut 'm4 screwed on to the end of said rod. It will now be understood that the tendency of the spring M4 will be to hold the lever arm M .grainward and keep the tightener pulley M against the chain and .take up all the slack which the latter affords; and that as the rotation of the wheel G causes it to require more chain the slack will be taken up by that wheel, and the tightener M will be forced outward, and that the yielding of the spring M4 will permit it to move thus to the requisite extent.

It will heunderstood that the maximum yielding of the spring and the extreme outward position'of the tightener pulley and the nearest approach of the outer ply of the chain to a direct line between the wheels over which it passes will'not be reached at the position shown in Fig. 1 but at a position intermediatc between that and the position shown in Fig. 2; and the spring M4 is represented as having capacity for yielding sufficiently to bring the chain nearly to a straight line. On the other hand, the position of greatest slack of the chain or most inward position of the tightener M does .not correspond to the position shown either in Fig. 1 orin Fig. 2, but to a position subsequent to that of Fig. 1 and earlier than that of Fig. 2 in the rotary motion, and the spring M4 is designed to be un-v derstood as having further capacity for eX! tension to take up vmoreslack than is shown taken up in either of the views.

A further advantage which is afforded by this construction of the binder main wheel G is that, Without causing the entire binding operation to occupy any greater time or extend over any larger portion of the travel of the machine, the action of the knetter-bill, while still kept perfectly timed with the other movements with which it must co-operate, is

made slower than it would be with the binder that is, from the position shown in Fig. 1, thel bundle will be ejected and no further work- `remains to be done except to bring the parts back to their position of rest; and from this point on the movement is made with increasmain wheel journaled centrally,.the'.time being made up during the remainder of the rotation of the wheel'before and after theknotters movement. This, as will .bewell .understood, makes it possible to use twine of less tensile strength and toughness. With a slow movement, a knot may be formed in twine which would break under a rapid movement.

This feature will be apparent upon examination of Fig. 3, which shows the position of the knotter-bill at the stage of slowest movement corresponding to Fig. 1,the knotter-bil1`N being j ust about to start as the gear segment P IOO IIOl

on the knetter-actuating wheel P comes into engagement with its pinion N.

I claim- 1. In a grain binder, the binder main Wheel G journaled eccentrically on the binder frame;

devices which communicate motion to it by most remote from its center of rotation: sub' stantially as set forth.

2. In a grain binder, the main Wheel G, journaled eccentrically on the binder frame; the knotter and the mechanism through which it derives motion from the binder main Wheel arranged to cause theknotters rotation to be made While the devices which engage and drive the binder main Wheel are operating upon that portion of its periphery which is more distant from its center of rotation: substantially as set forth.

3. Ina grain binder, in combination with the needle rock-shaft and its crank arm, the binder main wheel and the link from the crank Wrist thereof to the wrist of the needle crank arm, the main.driving sprocket pinion and the chain which communicates power therefrom to the binder main Wheel, said binder main wheel being journaled eccentrically, the center of construction being in the line from its center of motion to the point of tangency and departure of the drive chain when the center of motion is in line with the Wrist of the needle crank arm and .the crank Wrist of the binder main Wheel G: substantially as set forth.

4. In a grain binder, in combination with the main driving sprocket pinion H and binder main wheel G journaled eccentrically, the chain which communicates power from the former to the latter, the. lever M fulcrumed on the frame and carrying the tightener pulley, the link M3, spring M, stop bracket M2 and nut m4, connected and cooperating,substantially as set forth.

5. Inagrain binder, the main Wheel journaled e'ccentrically and carrying the bundle ej ecting arm and the train by Which said Wheel is rotated, combined substantially as set forth, whereby the rotary movement of the wheel while the ejecting arm is performing its office is communicated to it by engagement with a portion of its arc on the side nearer the center of motion.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand,in the presence of two witnesses, at Chicago, Illinois, this 23d day of December,

MAURICE KANE. Witnesses:

CHAs. S. BURTON, JEAN ELLIOTT. 

